THE WORLD TRAVEL MART
When the late President Mayoom Abdul Gayoom took his second term of office, I was invited to attend the event. At the time I was given the title "The Maldive Lady" and the Honorary position of Representing the Maldives in the United Kingdom for Tourism. My role was to put them on the map, a momentous task. I knew at once that I must take them into The World Travel Mart. Held annually in mid November, at Olympia, London. This event had only been running for the past two years.
I set out to book us a small shell of a stand and then filled this with Maldive posters and loads of stunning memorabilia that I had brought back to the UK over the three years I had spent in the islands ("getting to know you"). I had to put a ceiling in, use my colorful wraps, flooring lighting and even my diving tank! The World Travel Mart newspaper was put on every one's stand every morning and was full of the Maldives. As a new comer I was interviewed non stop. I found to my cost early on that "my little darlings" from the Maldives were not at all that keen to take the limelight, very shy. Mr Rasheed and Mr Bushree came from Male to help me.
During this exciting and very very busy time for me in July I was asked by Male to head for Edinburgh where the Commonwealth games were being held. A couple of young Maldive lads came with me taking it in turns to drive my car 9 hours to Scotland. The badminton team were competing.. BBC allowed me to take a video which went to Male.
I set out to book us a small shell of a stand and then filled this with Maldive posters and loads of stunning memorabilia that I had brought back to the UK over the three years I had spent in the islands ("getting to know you"). I had to put a ceiling in, use my colorful wraps, flooring lighting and even my diving tank! The World Travel Mart newspaper was put on every one's stand every morning and was full of the Maldives. As a new comer I was interviewed non stop. I found to my cost early on that "my little darlings" from the Maldives were not at all that keen to take the limelight, very shy. Mr Rasheed and Mr Bushree came from Male to help me.
During this exciting and very very busy time for me in July I was asked by Male to head for Edinburgh where the Commonwealth games were being held. A couple of young Maldive lads came with me taking it in turns to drive my car 9 hours to Scotland. The badminton team were competing.. BBC allowed me to take a video which went to Male.
It was then that I heard that the Duchess of Gloucester was to open the WTM in November. I wrote at once to the Palace requesting the Duchess would come to our stand. Those opening this event could only visit a very few normally four or five a there are hundreds participating.
Plans were put in place. Mr Zahir was to bring a gift from Maldives and it was arranged to have pictures plus video taken to go to Male. Protocol was put in place with the young Maldivian girl in National dress explained to do the correct way to curtsy. The stage was set! After the salutations, I left the stand. It was their moment and I stood well away. So so proud of "my little darlings! Her Royal highness was amazed at what she saw, she over stayed her time with us. Since then no Royal has done the honors again.
